Carton



April l28, 1936.

B. J. DAVIDSON CARTONv Filed Dec. 50, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet .3

19m/cf a. AV/asa# INVEN'OR y77- Y fugg Patented pr. 28, 41936 UNITED.STATI-:s

-PATENT OFFICE CARTON Bruce J. Davidson, Kew GardensQN'. Y., assigner`to National Biscuit Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewJersey Application. December 30, 1931, Serial No. 583,855 26 Claims.(Cl. 229-51) cereals, confections,'soap powders, drug supplies,

cigarettes, and many other articles that are put up in sealed packagesby the manufacturer and are sold to the ultimate consumer in theiroriginal containers. l

Heretofore it has been the usual practice to seal the cartons tightly atthe factory, and theycould be opened by the consumer only by tearingaway a part ofthe package. In many instances the consumer does not usethe entire contents of the package at once, and, if the package has beentorn, it cannot be reclosed satisfactorily. Therefore, one of theobjects of my present invention is to produce a carton that can besealed tightly by the manufacturer when it is filled, and yet beconstructed so that it can be opened by the consumer without destroyingthe carton-and can be reclosed easily and securely until some of itscontents are'want'ed again.

Another object is to produce a carton that can be glued or otherwisesecurely sealed at the factory, and yet can be opened and reclosedrepeatedly without breaking any part of the original glued closure andwithout the use of adhesives in that is adapted to be inserted withinthe carton to close it along the severed line when the carton isreclosed.

Another object of my invention is to produce a carton of the kindreferred to wherein all ofthe outer panels, ends and sides terminate atthe respective edges of the box, so that the outside ofthe box is smoothor h as no interrupted surfaces, and therefore-may be satisfactorilyenclosed c in an outer wrapper if desired.

The above and other objects and advantages will be understood by thoseskilled in the art reference being now made to the accompanying drawingswherein I haveillustratedsome practicable embodiments of my inventionand wherein- Fig. 1 shows the blank from which one form of cartonembodying my invention may be formed, Fig. 2 shows the carton sealed atthe side and folded flat as it is made at the carton factory ready to beshipped to the manufacturer to be filled and sealed at the ends',

Fig. 3 shows the carton after it has been opened by the consumer andalso shows the tuck that is adapted to close the carton valong theseveredY line, Y

Fig. 4 shows a blank from which another carton embodying my inventionmay be f ormed,

and I1, and slits or cuts I8, I9, 20, and 2|, whichA define a frontpanel 22, a bottom panel 23, .a rear panel 24, a top panel 25, and tuck26, extending in succession from one end to the other-'of the blank. Thescore lines I6 and I1, and the cuts I8 to 2| define flaps 21, 28, 29,and 30 at the ends of the front and rear panels 22, and 24, and at theends of the bottom panel 23 provide theA two end panels 3| and V32, theWidth of these two end panels'being equal to the width of the nishedcarton, and their length equal to the` height of the box. v f

'I'he material of the blankextends beyond these two end panels toprovide iaps 33, and 3l, which may be bent inwardly when the box isformed along the score lines 35, 36. The front panel 22 visalsoprovide'd with a weakened, or tear line 31, the ends of whichterminate substantially .at

the upper corners of the front panel and which bends inwardly so that itis normally a suiiicient distance inward from the edge of the frontpanel to provide a strip 38, that may be glued or otherwise secured tothe tuck 26 when vthe box is assembled, the tuck 26 being wider thanthis glue strip.

After the blankhas been cut out, scored and l secure the blank'in boxforming position. This style' of carton is adapted to be lled throughthe end, the manufacturer rst straightening the carton of Fig. 2 intobox form and then-lling it through the end before the end llaps 'and endpanels are secured in position.

When the box is filled and sealed, the flaps 33, 34 extend inwardlyunder the cover 25 and the tuck 26 liesinside of the front panel 22. theconsumer desires to open the package, lhe uses his thumb nail, or ablunt instrument, to break the package along the tear-'line 31, which isjust below the glued surface of the front panel at the top of the tuck26. This enables the purchaser to raise the top, as shown in Fig. 3, toopen the box, and when it is desired to reclose it after using part' ofits contents, the tuck 26 is again inserted inside of the front panel22, which successfully closes the box. 1f desired, the flaps 33, 34 maybe very lightly glued to the top 25 so that they will readilybreak loosewhen the top is lifted.

In practice it has 4sometimes been found desirable to have the tuck 26on the outside of the box and overlapping the tear line 31. When this isdone, the front panel has a short glue flap that is glued to theunderside of the cover. To open the box, the tuck is raised to disclosethe tear line. 31, which is then broken, and the box opened by raisingthe tuck and cover. To reclose the box, the tuck is'inserted inside ofthe front panel.

The form of carton box in Figs. 4 to 8 is formed from the blank of Fig.4, wherein the front panel 39, a bottom panel 40, a rear panel 4|, a top42, and a tuck 43 are formed in succession, being separated by scorelines on which the blank is folded to form the box.

The front panel 39 has flaps 44, 45 formed at l each end, these flapsbeing substantially the full size of the end of the box. A weakened ortear line 46 extends across the front panel and the two end aps,terminating near the upper corners of the flaps, and its distance fromthe edge ofthe front panel being sufficient to provide a glue strip-41.The bottomipanel 40 has aflap 48, 49 at each end and the rear panel 4|has an end panel 50, 5| at each end, these end panels preferably beingof the same size as the end of the' llnished carton. Thetop 42 has twoend ilaps 52, 53, to which the flaps 44 and 45 are secured when the boxis completed.

Fig. 5 shows the carton as it is partly assembled at the carton factoryfor shipment to the manufacturer. This carton is adapted to be lled fromthe end, and Fig. 6 shows the carton after it has been lled and is inprocess of being sealed. It will be noted that the tuck 43 lies insideof the front panel 39, and that theend panels 50,.5,| are inside of theother aps. The flaps 48, 49, 52, and 53 lie next to the ends 50, 5|, butare not glued thereto. The last operation in sealing the carton consistsin applying an adhesive to the the box after it has lon the front panel39 extends across the front of the box just below where it is glued tothe upper part of the tuck e3. I have shown this tuck 43 as being oi'greater width than the glue strip 41, but this is for purpose ofillustration only, and in many instances this form of my invention willhave the width of the tuck equal to or less than When' the width of theglue strip 41. when it is desired to open the box,` the consumer willbreak it along the tear line 46, which releases the top and permits itto be opened as .shown in Fig. 8. 'Ille carton obviously can be openedandreclosed as many times as the purchaser may find it necessary.

The blank of Fig. 9 has av front' panel 54, bot-- tom panel 55, rearpanel 56, top 51, and tuck 58 dened thereon by score lines,.and at thesides has the flaps 59, 60, 6|, and 62, and the end panels 63,64, 65,and 66.V The end panelsand iiaps 60 to 64 are defined by the score lines61, 68, and the end panels 65, 66 by the tear lines 69, 10.. The.

front panel 54 has a tear line '1|, which is spaced from its edge asucient distance to provide a glue strip 12 which, when the cartonis'form'ed, is secured to the tuck 53. It will be noted that the ilaps59 to 62 are cut away slightlyl at their top 65, 66 fixed over them.,The adhesive is applied' to the four flaps 59, 60, 6| and 6 2, which arethen turned in and not only glued together, but the inner one glued tothe adjacent end or 66, as the case may be.' When the carton is filledand closed, the tear strips 69, 10 will be at the top of the box, .andthe cut-away portions of the flaps 59 to 62 will permit access to theseweakened lines. To open the box, the consumer breaks it along`the lines69, 10, and 1| with his ,finger nail, or any other suitableinstrument,after which the cov/er can be raised as illustrated in.Fig`. 11.

y It will .be noted in Figs. `1 to 3 and 9fto 11 that the tear lines 31and 1| donot extend the full length of the box, and that their endsbendupwardly to the edge of the panel on which they are located andterminate substantially at or a short distance from the upperrcorners ofthe box so as to provide lips as indicated at 31' in Figs, l and 3 andat 1| in Figs. 9 to l1. The lips 3|', 1| bind upon the ilaps 26, 5 8,when the box is reclosed, and hold the flaps in place. This is truebecause the cartons are made with the panels 23, 25 alike in width, asare also the' panels 55, 51, so that when the aps are inserted withinthe carton they exert some pressure on the respec tive front panels 22,54. If the tear lines extended all the way across the front panels, thenthere would be no binding action on the flaps when the boxes' werereclosed. While I have shown and described three forms of carton inwhich my invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that theseare butl illustrative of the invention and that the invention may beembodied in many other modications, and is not to be in my claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis: 1. A carton having front, rear, top and bottom panels, end panelsxedly secured to the front, rear and bottom panels, the top 'beinghingedly secured at one edge to the rear panel and at its front edgehaving a tuck extending the full length of the top and lying within thefront panel,the\ front panel having a weakened line spaced from limitedexcept-as defined its upper edge with its ends bent upwardlysubstantially to the upper corners of the front panel where there arethus provided a pair of lips, said weakened Vline overlying said tuck,that portion of said front panel above said weakened line being xedlysecured to said tuck.

2. A carton having front, rear, top and bottom panels, end panelsiixedly secured to the front, rear and'bottom panels, the top beinghingedly secured at one edge to the rear panel and at its front edgehaving a tuck lying within the front panel and extending the full lengththereof, the front panel having a weakened line spaced from its edge,extending substantially its full length and overlapped by said tuck,said weakened line extending lengthwise of said front panel and its endsbeing bent toward and terminating substantially at the upper cornersthereof to provide a pair of lips thereon, that portion of said frontpanel above said weakened line being xedly secured to said tuck.

3. A carton having front, rear, bottom and end panels xedly secured incarton forming relation,"

said front panel having a glue strip at its upper edge and a weakenedline extending lengthwise of said panel below the glue strip, said endpanels having iiaps extending inwardly from their upper edges, a tophingedly secured at one edge to the rear panel and at its other edgehaving a tuck lying within the front panel, said glue strip beingsecured to said tuck adjacent its upper edge, said weakened line at`both ends being bent upwardly and terminating substantially at theupper corners of said front panel to provide a pair of lips thereon.

`4l. A carton blank provided with score lines de flning in successionfront, bottom, rear and top panels anda tuck, end panels den'ed by scorelines and extending outwardly from the ends of the bottom panel, endflaps extending outwardly from the ends of the front and rear panels andadapted to be secured to theend panels, said front panel having a gluestrip adjacent its free edge and within its borders adapted to besecured to saidtuck, said glue strip being dened on said front panel bya tear line extending the full length of the panel and both ends bentupwardly to terminate at the edge of the front panel and provide a pairof lips at the upper corners thereof.

5. A carton having front, rear, bottom and end panels, flaps xedlysecuring the several panels in box forming relation, a toppanellhingedly secured at one edge to the rear panel and at its opposite'edge having a tuck lying within the front panel, a weakened strip onthe front panel secured -to said tuck, said top panel having end flapssecured in fixed relation to the end panels, there being tear linesextending across said end iiaps whereby said top panel may be separatedtherefrom.

6. A carton having front, rear, bottom and end panels, flaps xedlysecuring the several panels in box forming relation, a top panelhingedly secured at one edge to the rear panel and at its opposite edgehaving a tuck lying Within the iront panel and extending below aweakened line thereon, said front panel above said weakened line beingxedly secured to said tuck, said top panel having end flaps secured inxed relation to the end panels, there being tear lines extending acrosssaid end flaps whereby said top panel may be separated therefrom.

7. A carton having front, bottom, rear and end t panels, the end panelsextending upwardly from flaps, there being tear lines across said topaps adjacent the top edge of the carton, said front panel being securedto said tuck and having a weakened line below the said secured edge.

8. A carton blank having provided in succes sion thereon front, bottom,rear, and top panels and a tuck, the front panel at its free edge havinga tear strip of less width than said tuck, the front and rear panelshaving `flaps at each end, the bottom panel having an end panel at eachend, and the top panel having an end panel at each end, there being atear line extending across each, top end panel.

9. A carton having front, rear, top, bottom, and end panels, the topbeing hingedly secured at one edge to the rear panel and at its frontedge having a tuck extending the full length of the top and lying withinthe front panel, the front panel having a weakened line spacedfrom itsupper edgewith its ends bent upwardly substantially to the upper cornersof thefront panel Where there are thus provided a pair of lips, saidweakened line overlying said tuck, that portion of said front panelabove said weakened line being xedly secured to said tuck.

10.- In a carton of the character described, top, front, bottom and rearwalls, end flaps integrally associated with each of said walls, weakenedlines joining said top and the end aps associated therewilh, aptentialfolding tuck integrally associated with said top and separablyaflxed to said front wall.

11. In a carton of the character described, top, front, bottom and rearwalls, end aps integrally associated with each of said walls, weakenedlines joining said top and the end flaps associated therewith, apotential folding tuck integrally associated with said top andadhesively aixed over part of its surface only to a proximate side wall.

12. In a device of the character described, the

combination comprising a movable section pro-l vided With a flap forminga potential tucking-in iiap and initially overlying and in part onlyafxed to .a proximate wall, the underying por tion of said wall beingset off by a weakened line, and tabs detachably connected to saidmovable section along edges thereof adjacent said tucking-in flap. A L

13. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising amovable section provided with a flap forming av potentialtucking-in flapand initially overlying and in part onlyr afxed to a proximate wall, theunderlying portion,

of said wall being set oi by aweakened line, and

tabs connected to said movable section and separable therefrom alongweakened lines extending along edges of the device and toward ends ofsaid first-mentioned weakened line.

14. A blank for a carton having potential folding tabs, a potentialcover section provided with van extension forming a potential closing apand provided with weakened lines extending from the ends of said ap andsetting off the folding tabs associated with said cover section, and aportion of the section which is to be overlain by said flap being setoff by a score line.

15. In a carton provided with side walls, a top and bottom wall, eachprovided withv an extension tab, a potential folding tuck 'connectedwith saidtop wall and initially overlying at least a part of an adjacentside wall of said carton and being in part intersecured therewith, andweakened fold lines between said top and its associated tabs and alongJthe edges of said carton, said underlying intersecured portion beingset oi from the remainder of said side wall by a score line.

16. A reclosable carton having a front wall with a transverse weakenedline near its top, the top panel of the carton being connected along oneedge to the rear wall of the carton, and at its other edge having atongue secured to said front wall and extending below said weakenedline.

17. A carton having top, front, back and side walls, saidtop Wall beingprovided withl integral` end tabs and with an integral potential foldingv tuck adapted to overlie a proximate side wall of the carLon, saidfolding tuck being adhesively afxed to said proximate side wall over aportion of their contiguous surfaces only, and said end tabs beingjoined to said top section along weakened lines. "K

18. A sealed carton comprising front, bottom,

back, end and cover secLions secured'together so as to sealsubstantially the entire carton including all edges thereof, lthe coverhaving a tuck-in ap on one edge thereof, and being hingedly secured atits opposite edge to the adjacent section of the carton, said coverbeing integral with por tions which form at least the entire outer layerof said end sections, said portions being adapted to be severed fromsaid cover along a weakened line positioned substantially along the edgeof said carton.

19. A carton having front, bottom, back and top sections, said topsection being a hinged integral extension of said back section, apsintegral with three sides of said top section and adapted to secure saidtop section to each of said front andside sections, and means adapted tofacilitate the severance of a plurality of said flaps entirely from saidtop section along the top edge of said carton and side sections, andmeans comprising scored lines adapted to facilitate the severance ofsaid top section from each of said front and side sections, the scorelines associated with the severance from the side sections being alongthe top edges vwhereby said top section, when it is raised, is

without extensions along the sides.

2l. A sealed carton comprising integral front, bottom, back and coversections, end sections integral with the front, bottom and back sectionsand folded together-,and sealed by means of an adhesive, said coversection having an integral tuck-in vflap and integral sealing portions,said flap and portions lying inside. the front and end sections gralwith three sides of each top section and adapted to secure said topsection to each of said front and side sections, and means comprisingscored lines adapted to facilitate the severance of said top sectionfrom each of said front and side sections.

23. A carton havingfront, bottom, rear and end walls, a top sectionhinged at one side to the top of said rear wall, said top section havingan extension lying within said walls and secured thereto, the partsecured to said extension being defined by a weakenedline havingupturned ends extending substantially to the cornersof the carton.

24. A carton having four side and two end walls. the top wall having adownwardly turned tuck at its front edge' andA a downwardly turned ap ateach end, the front wall being secured near its top edge to said .tuckand at each end having a flap secured to the end of the box and to saidltop Wall flaps, said front wall and its flaps having a tear lineadjacent the portions secured to said tuck and top wall flaps.

25. Acarton having front, bottom, rear, top and end panels, flaps onsaid top panel overlapping said end panels and a tuck lying within saidfront panel, flaps on said front panel secured to said end panels and tosaid top ilaps, .the front panel being secured to said tuck, there being'a tear line on said front panel below the part secured to said tuck,and tear lines on said front flaps adjacent the lower edges of said topflaps.

26. A carton forming blank having formed in succession thereon front,bottom, rear and top panels and a tuck, end panels provided at the endsof the rear panel, short end flaps at the ends of ,the top and bottompanels, said front panel having end flaps adapted tobe secured to saidend panels and aforesaid end flaps, there being a tear line extendingacross said front panel and its end iiaps.

BRUCE J. DAVIDSON.

